Uruguay Port Conflict Hits Fishing Exports, Diverts Cargo to Other Ports

The prolonged conflict at Terminal Cuenca del Plata (TCP) in the Port of Montevideo has begun to directly affect Uruguay’s fishing exports, prompting some operators to seek alternative logistics routes through ports in Argentina and Brazil.

The situation has become more serious in recent days after five of the main international shipping lines operating in Uruguay formally warned the government about the consequences of repeated disruptions. Maersk Uruguay, Ocean Network Express (ONE), CMA CGM Uruguay, Cosco Shipping Lines and Hapag-Lloyd Uruguay sent a letter to six government ministers calling for a solution that would restore predictability to port operations.

The companies said that more than 35 days of operational disruptions of various kinds have accumulated so far in 2026, warning in particular about the loss of transshipment cargo, delays and difficulties in maintaining scheduled maritime services.

The conflict is unfolding at Montevideo’s main specialized container terminal amid negotiations between TCP and its workers over a new collective bargaining agreement. The disagreements have led to repeated disruptions in recent months and even prompted the Uruguayan government to establish minimum services to keep part of the terminal operating.

The scale of the problem is tied to TCP’s importance to Uruguay’s foreign trade. Carlos Abel Olivera, executive director of fishing company Novabarca, told Pescare that around 80% of the country’s containers move through the terminal, meaning any disruption has a direct impact on export supply chains.

Uruguay Port Conflict Disrupts Fishing Exports

For the fishing industry, the consequences are already tangible. Olivera said difficulties securing shipments are causing finished products to pile up in cold storage facilities, creating significant financial pressure on companies.

“We used to ship two or three times a week; now we have to wait two or three weeks. Our cold-storage facilities are full, we can’t collect payment, and we can’t meet our commitments to customers,” he said.

The delays have a direct impact on working capital. Once fish is caught and processed, companies must keep it in storage until they can secure a shipment, while continuing to bear production and cold-storage costs without being able to complete the commercial transaction.

“Having fish sitting in cold storage means not having the money. It disrupts the entire payment chain,” Olivera said.

The situation is particularly significant for an industry heavily dependent on foreign markets. According to Olivera, the lack of regular service not only makes it harder to meet commitments to international buyers but is already leading foreign trade operators to use Buenos Aires and Santos, Brazil, as alternative gateways for cargo.

The five shipping lines warned that the continued loss of transshipment cargo is damaging Uruguay’s international reputation and its commercial reliability among global operators. They also pointed to risks to jobs and broader consequences for the competitiveness of Uruguay’s foreign trade.

The warning broadens the scope of the Uruguay port conflict: beyond delayed exports, Montevideo risks losing operations that connect regional cargo with international shipping services. For the fishing industry, predictable connections are essential to scheduling shipments and committing to delivery dates with buyers.

One of the main issues behind the dispute is the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement covering some 550 TCP workers. The terminal is 80% owned by Belgian company Katoen Natie, with Uruguay’s National Ports Administration holding the remaining 20%.

In response to the repeated labor actions, the Uruguayan government established a minimum-service regime in September to keep essential operations running. The measures cover vessel loading and unloading, the receipt of import and export containers, storage services, and the handling of refrigerated cargo and perishable products.

Unlike Argentina, Uruguay does not have an equivalent to mandatory conciliation that allows the government to unilaterally suspend labor action while negotiations are underway. In this case, the government has intervened through negotiation efforts and by establishing minimum services, while the two sides continue seeking a resolution to the dispute.

The joint warning from the five shipping lines has added pressure to a situation that is already having tangible consequences for exporters. The companies called for a lasting solution and warned that continued disruptions threaten the competitiveness of Uruguay’s foreign trade.

For the fishing industry, the impact is already being felt through fewer sailings, saturated cold-storage facilities, delayed payments and difficulties meeting customer commitments, while the lack of predictability is pushing part of the region’s logistics flows toward alternatives outside Uruguay.

Source: Pescare

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